Sweet(?) SIXTEEN!!!

Dear Baby Maggie,

It has been 16 months since Daddy & I were logged in with the CC@@. In this amazing journey to you we are learning many things. One of the most important things we have learned is the ability to love someone unconditionally with all of our heart, being & soul even before knowing who they are, or what they sound like or look like.

These past few months have been long and trying at times but we do not regret any of it, not one second, for we know that one day our lives will be complete… and that will be the day we finally meet you…

and until then we are…

Still wishing...

Still hoping...

Still aching…

Still wanting...

Still dreaming...

Still longing…

Still yearning...

Still craving...

Still praying...

But above all, we are…

Still waiting... waiting... waiting...

And for you, we will wait as long as it takes… this I promise you, my princess.

Thinking of you always and loving you forever,
Mommy & Daddy
xoxo

Volunteering For A Fun Festival!

Every year our little town has a festival for all ages, it is called The Great Scarecrow Festival & Antique Fair. Click HERE for more information.

I have posted about this festival before but this time I am not posting because it is time for the festival but because I have started working as a volunteer helping to fix up and create new scarecrows. There was and advertisement in our local paper looking for volunteers for different positions on committee for the festival. Without volunteers from the community the festival will not be able to keep going, so since I enjoy it so much each year I decided to join in the fun and help out. This will be a great way to pass some of the wait time for our adoption as well.

Donna, my Mom and I spent a full Saturday working on some of the scarecrows. We looked through all of the items that have been donated and then we had fun painting new faces and fixing up some scarecrows from previous years. I can’t wait to go back another day and work some more.






I would also like to send some get-well wishes to my Mom who recently had a nerve block. My Mom goes in for this procedure twice a year for her chronic back pain. She is spending the weekend resting and recovering.

Monday ... Again ...

Well back to Monday already! YUCK! The weekends go by way too fast!

* I spent the weekend relaxing and trying to beat this cold. I am getting better now.

* Tonight I have been making a new blog header for a friend. I have also been thinking of someone that has had to make a very difficult decission ... (((HUGS))) my friend!

* Tomorrow night is our 2nd night of PRIDE training.

Not much exciting going on here so I will post some pictures.

Here is Larry & I holding Larry's cousin, Andrea’s new baby. His name is Colton and he is such a cutie!!!



And this is Paige, Colton’s big sister. Isn't she a doll??













Have a great week everyone!

We’ve Cleared The Last Hurdle!

The end of February we were contacted by our agency to advise us that the CC@@ was requesting updated information from us.

I was flooded with mixed emotions. I was glad to hear that we finally made it to the review room but scared to death that this might be where our journey to our little one would end.

I gathered up the information they were looking for and faxed it off to our agency right away. After lots of emails and phone conversations with a very patient and helpful contact at our agency I finally sent the original documentation requested and waited to here some good news.

I have been on pins and needles for almost 2 LONG months but today, I finally received the long awaited for email:

“We confirmed with the CC@@ last night that they received the documentation and your file is proceeding at the CC@@.”

I have never been so happy to read an email in my life!





For those of you unsure of what all this means, a quick summary would be that China has review our file and they approved us to be parents to one of their beautiful, amazing, wonderful, breathtaking children!!

Of course just to let you know, this does not shorten our wait time. It certainly does ease our minds though, knowing that we are now just* waiting, and no longer waiting & wondering if we would be approved.

* this is not to imply that the wait has all of a sudden turned into a cake walk, lol

Fresh Hope ...

Some of you will already know this but I want to give an update of where our adoption journey is leading now … As all of you know wait times for China have grown out of control and the uncertainty is very frustrating (to say the least).

Last night Larry & I attended the first night of PRIDE (Parenting Resources Information Development Education) training. We are participating in these sessions because we have made the decision to peruse domestic adoption while we wait for our little one from China. This was a tough decision but we feel that it is the right choice for us at this point in our lives. Regardless of the outcome, this training will be very valuable in the future for us as parents to our child or children … whatever the plan may be. We have many sessions of the PRIDE training to come over the next couple months and look forward to learning together.

DISCLAIMER:
THIS IN NO WAY MEANS WE ARE GIVING UP ON OUR ADOPTION FROM CHINA.

When Larry and I got home last night from the training session, I stepped out of the car guess what I heard ... SPRING PEEPERS!! What a wonderful sign of spring! We have been having some spring like weather finally and tomorrow is supposed to be another nice day.




I woke up this morning with a sore throat, achy ears, nagging cough and a headache. I hope I am feeling good enough to go for a nice long walk after work tomorrow that always makes me feel better.

I’M IT!

I have been tagged by Darcie @ "DND’s Adventure’s in Asia". So here we go with my answers:


Four jobs I've had:
1. Payroll Administrator
2. Receptionist / Administrative Assistant
3. Printing Press Operator
4. Customer Service Representative

Four shows on my Tivo:
1. ER
2. Surivor & Big Brother
3. One Tree Hill
4. Two and a Half Men

Four Places I have been:
1. British Columbia
2. Quebec
3. New York
4. Prince Edward Island

Four favorite foods:
1. Potatoes - cooked, fried, baked … whatever
2. Seafood
3. Cereal – anytime of the day
4. BBQed anything

Four Cd's I've recently listened to:
1. Taylor Swift
2. Steve Miller Band
3. Colbie Caillat
4. Flo Rida

Four things you can do to make my day:
1. Warm my car up for me when it is cold out. (Thanks Larry, xoxo)
2. Make me laugh
3. Make memories with me
4. Be a true friend … I can’t stand fake people
** I also like Darcie’s answer … “Comment on my blog”

Now I have to tag 4 other lovely ladies.

Danni @ LayDFrog
Lea @ Lea’s Musings
Sherri @ Journey To Nikki
Kerri @ The Monkey King

I can’t wait to read your answers!

Happy Birthday to ...

DORIS @ 3D's

I always enjoy reading your blog. You are an inspiration, a motivation and a friend to all of us waiting Mommies.







Enjoy your special day girl, you deserve it!!!







Drop by Doris's blog and leave her some birthday wishes.

Birthday Recap

Thank you to everyone for the nice birthday wishes on my last post. I celebrated my birthday on the weekend with lots of friends, fun, and a few drinks!!

Here are a few pictures from the evening ... enjoy!